■p;  The 

Overground  Railway  * 
*     (Joristruction  (Jonipany, 

120  Broadway,  I)ew-York. 


THE  UNDERGROUND  RAILWAY  CONSTRUCTION  COMPANY, 

1 20  Broadway,  New- York. 


PRESIDENT, 

J.  COLEMAN  DRAYTON. 

VICE-PRESIDENT, 

ROWLAND  R.  HAZARD. 

SECRETARY, 

CALVIN  GODDARD. 


CHIEF  ENGINEER  AND  ARCHITECT, 

GEORGE  B.  POST. 

Fellow  of  American  Institute  of  Architects. 
CONSULTING  ENGINEERS, 

WILLIAM  P.  TROWBRIDGE. 

Member  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Member  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers. 
Member  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers. 
Member  American  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers. 

CHARLES  C.  MARTIN. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Chief  Engineer  of  the  New-York  and  Brooklyn  Bridge. 

JULIUS  W.  ADAMS. 

Consulting  Engineer  of  the  Department  of  Public  Works  of  the  City  of  New-York. 
Past  President  of  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 

JOHN  T.  FANNING. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Fellow  of  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science. 
President  of  American  Water-Works  Association. 

ALFRED  P.  BOLLER. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 

CHARLES  C.  SCHNEIDER. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Member  National  German  Society  of  Engineers  of  Berlin. 

QUINCY  A.  GILLMORE. 

Colonel  of  Engineers,  Bt.  Major-General,  United  States  Army. 

HENRY  MORTON,  Ph.  D. 

Member  of  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
President  of  Stevens  Institute  of  Technology.  " 

CHARLES  F.  CHANDLER,  Ph.  D.,  M.  D. 

Member  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Ex-President  of  the  Health  Department  of  the  City  of  New-York. 


Ave* 


Copyright,  1887, 
By  The  Underground  Railway  Construction  Company. 


The  De  VlNNE  PRE6S. 


I A 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/undergroundrailwOOdurs 


1 20  Broadway,  Equitable  Building, 
New- York,  April  20,  1887. 


Gentlemen:  The  Underground  Railway  Construction  Company  was 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  building  Subway,  Elevated  or  Surface  Railways 
in  the  city  of  New- York.  It  has  taken  the  contract  to  construct  the  subway 
railways  of  the  New-York  District  Railway.  The  Broadway  division  will  be 
constructed  from  the  Bowling-Green,  thence  up  Broadway  to  Union  Square, 
to  its  junction  with  the  Fourteenth  street  division,  thence  up  Broadway  to 
Madison  Square,  to  the  junction  of  its  east  and  west  divisions,  and  thence  by 
way  of  Madison  Avenue,  to  and  under  the  Harlem  River,  to  a  junction  with 
the  main  lines  of  railway  which  enter  New-York  from  the  north  and  east. 
The  Fourteenth  street  and  Twenty-third  street  divisions  will  commence  at  the 
west  side  of  Ninth  Avenue,  and  the  east  side  of  Second  Avenue,  respectively, 
thence  running  to  the  junction  at  Union  and  Madison  Squares.  The  western 
division  will  commence  at  Madison  Square,  and  follow  the  line  of  Broadway 
to  Fifty-ninth  street  at  Eighth  Avenue,  about  thirteen  miles  in  all. 

It  also  proposes  to  construct  the  railways  of  the  New -York  Under- 
ground Railway  Company  and  the  Broadway  Underground  Connecting  Rail- 
way Company. 

Each  of  these  lines  provides  : 

1.  Two  express  tracks  throughout,  forming  a  "  through,"  standard-gauge, 
rapid-transit  road  of  enormous  capacity  and  capable  of  great  speed,  with  easy 
access  and  egress  at  a  few  commanding  points, —  rapid,  comfortable,  light, 
comparatively  noiseless,  accessible,  safe,  and  perfectly  ventilated. 

2.  Two  "  way  "  tracks,  throughout  the  line,  forming  a  rapid  standard-gauge 
line  between  frequent  stations. 

3.  Continuous  galleries  on  cither  side  of  the  railways,  arranged  to  house 
all  the  present  water,  gas.  pneumatic,  steam,  and  other  pipes  which  occupy  the 
street  below,  together  with  all  the  electric  cables  and  wires  now  arranged  upon 
poles  and  house-tops  above  the  streets,  or  in  temporary  conduits,  all  service- 
pipes  being  in  immediate  contact  with  the  vault  wall  of  every  house  on  the 
line,  where  they  will  everywhere  and  at  all  times  be  accessible  for  connection, 
alteration,  repair,  replacement,  and  inspection. 

7 


4.  The  whole  to  be  built  and  operated  (as  to  the  standard  section  on 
Broadway)  between  the  curb-lines  and  (except  at  Canal  street)  above  mean 
high  water,  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  the  invasion  of  the  valuable  vaults,  and 
for  the  further  purpose  of  compensating  vested  corporate  rights,  without 
encroaching  upon  vested  private  rights,  or  private  property,  without  due  com- 
pensation. 

The  method  of  construction  is  as  follows  :  street  excavation  is  effected  in 
sections,  and  is  governed  by  the  extent  and  character  of  the  traffic,  surface 
travel  being  maintained.  A  uniform  platform  of  concrete,  about  two  feet  in 
thickness,  floored  by  a  half  inch  of  Trinidad  asphalt,  extending  across  the  street 
at  a  depth  of  about  twelve  feet,  forms  a  foundation  for  the  whole  structure. 
Upon  this  is  erected  the  external  vault  wall,  securing  to  the  abutting  proprietor 
the  permanent  use  of  the  vault  and  area  undisturbed  throughout  the  standard 
section.  This  vault  wall  is  fitted  while  under  construction  with  suitable  con- 
nections for  gas,  steam,  electricity,  sewer  and  water  at  every  house.  This  wall 
is  also  the  external  wall  of  the  pipe  galleries,  adjacent  to  both  curbs.  These 
galleries  are  subdivided  longitudinally  and  continuously,  by  beams  bolted  to 
their  internal  and  inserted  in  their  external  walls,  which  support  the  pipes. 
Access  is  provided  at  the  termini,  certain  cross  streets  and  squares,  and  all 
stations,  and  they  are  calculated  for  access  to,  housing,  and  inspection  of  all 
tubes,  pipes,  and  wires.  The  electrical  conductors  of  the  various  telegraph, 
telephone,  lighting,  burglar-alarm,  messenger,  and  time  companies  are  arranged 
anti-inductively,  upon  shelves  bolted  to  the  roof  and  upper  gallery  beams,  and 
within  the  "buckle  plates,"  which  are  induction  shields,  of  the  roof.  There 
being  no  continuous  floor  above  the  foundation,  the  pipes  in  either  gallery  are 
accessible  from  above  or  below.  Street  opening  for  repair,  replacement,  or 
connection,  is  thus  wholly  obviated.  The  internal  wall  supporting  the  galleries 
is  formed  by  iron  columns,  placed  four  feet  apart,  and  coincident  with  those 
forming  the  outer  wall  of  the  "way"  railways.  These  columns  are  composed 
of  iron  or  steel  of  approved  section,  bolted,  and  rest  upon  a  continuous  founda- 
tion. The  galleries  contribute  largely  to  the  cost  of  construction,  but  are 
indispensable  to  a  safe,  convenient,  and  equitable  replacement  of  present 
impedimenta  enjoying  vested  rights,  and  to  access  to  every  house  connection 
on  the  route.  The  space  between  the  pipe  galleries  is  disposed  in  four 
railway  tunnels,  for  the  accommodation  of  up-way  and  express  and  down- 
way  and  express  trains.  These  ways  are  formed  by  five  rows  of  columns, 
arranged  longitudinally,  resting  on  a  continuous  base,  the  spaces  between  the 
columns  at  the  foundation  and  the  roof  being  filled  by  a  panel  composed  of 

8 


a  tough,  non-resonant  material,  "  Ferflax,"  composed  of  steel  wire,  vegetable 
fibre,  and  solidified  oil  compressed  into  a  solid  unbreakable  panel  by  hydraulic 
power.  This  panel  fulfills  a  double  function  ;  it  completes  the  inclosure  for 
purposes  of  ventilation,  and  it  prevents  resonance  which  might  be  caused 
by  the  rapid  passage  of  trains  through  an  inclosure  with  metallic  walls.  The 
roof  is  supported  and  the  whole  structure  tied  by  beams  which  extend  across 
the  entire  span,  bolted  to  the  columns,  the  ends  being  inserted  in  the  vault 
wall.  Upon  these  beams  the  steel  buckle-plate  roof  is  laid  and  bolted  ;  over 
this  is  a  two-inch  skin  of  Trinidad  asphalt,  as  a  protector  from  chemical  contact 
and  dampness  and  as  a  slight  cushion.  Above  this  is  placed  six  inches  of 
concrete,  which  completes  the  permanent  street,  upon  which  the  pavement 
will  be  relaid.  This  structure  as  a  whole  contemplates  the  minimum  of  ex- 
cavation, the  maximum  of  capacity,  the  greatest  number  and  most  equal  dis- 
tribution of  points  of  support,  and  consequent  maximum  of  strength  and 
stiffness  in  use. 

The  railways  form  open  cylinders  from  station  to  station,  and  the  trains 
being  of  approximate  cross-section  constitute  loose  pistons  always  moving  in 
the  same  direction  ;  the  effect  is  the  establishment  of  a  ventilating  current, 

DEPENDENT   FOR  ITS   FORCE    UPON    THE   APPROXIMATION  OF  CROSS-SECTIONS,  THE 

speed  of  the  trains,  and  the  integrity  of  the  TUxVNELS ;  as  the  products  of 
combustion  are,  as  far  as  possible,  excluded  from  the  tunnels,  the  requirements 
of  ventilation  are  reduced  to  a  minimum,  and  perfectly  performed.  The  traffic 
rails  and  guards  are  bolted  to  the  longitudinal  steel  sleeper,  which  arrange- 
ment secures  perfect  alignment,  the  sleeper  being  permanently  set  in  the 
concrete  foundation.  A  deflecting-plate  attached  to  the  structure  at  the  cornice 
line  of  the  car,  and  the  double  guard-plate  to  the  rail,  render  destructive  derail- 
ment impossible.  While  it  is  not  essential  to  the  plan,  the  improved  wood 
pavement  now  used  in  London  and  Paris  should  be  substituted  for  the  noisy 
granite. 

Roads  and  galleries  constructed  in  this  way  have  the  incidental  advantage 
of  being  accessible,  upon  occasion,  from  one  to  another  at  any  point  and  across 
the  whole  system,  from  curb  to  curb,  of  performing  the  vital  functions  of  venti- 
lation cheaply  and  perfectly,  and  of  guaranteeing  complete  immunity  from  col- 
lision or  derailment. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  * 


The  plans  which  are  submitted  to  you  for  your  approval  include  a  train 
composed  of  a  given  number  of  carriages,  equipped  with  independent  interme- 

IB  9 


diate  trucks,  occupying  the  space  devoted  in  the  ordinary  car  to  entrance 
platforms  (by  the  use  of  which  the  perpendicular  tunnel  dimension  may  be 
reduced  to  9  feet  6  inches),  and  propelled  by  independent  motor  trucks  attached 
to  either  end  of  the  train,  by  which  device  change  of  engines  at  the  termini  is 
avoided. 

It  will  be  noted  that  this  structure  is  not  an  "underground"  road,  and  that 
it  is  free  from  all  the  objections  which  attach  to  such  roads.  It  is  an  architect- 
ural structure  replacing  a  superficial  excavation. 

The  completed  railways  will  occupy  an  excavation  of  exactly  35  feet  on 
lower  Broadway,  and  38  feet  elsewhere,  in  width  by  12  feet  in  depth  from  the 
top  of  the  curb  to  the  asphalt  floor  of  the  tunnels. 

The  pipe  galleries  occupy  an  excavation  of  4  feet  6  inches  in  width  on 
either  side  of  the  railways  by  12  feet  in  depth. 

The  total  excavation  for  all  purposes,  011  the  standard  Broadway  section,  is 
between  the  external  faces  of  the  present  vault  walls,  assuming  that  space  to  be 
44  feet. 

The  trains  will  travel,  not  on  any  structure,  but  upon  a  solid  floor  of  concrete, 
two  feet  thick,  constituting  an  adamantine,  everlasting,  unit  foundation  for  the 
street. 

The  structure  is  not  taxed  by  the  passage  of  trains,  but  is  adapted  to  carry 
the  traffic  of  the  street.  It  is  both  strong  and  stiff,  calculated  to  sustain  any 
weight,  and  to  bear  any  possible  stress  and  strain.  Vibrations  are  reduced  to 
the  possible  minimum,  and  taken  up  by  the  solid  foundation. 

The  railway  is  wholly  independent  of  the  buildings,  and  is  above  the  thrust- 
line  of  the  shallowest  foundation  on  the  route.  The  nearest  rail  is  feet 
removed  from  the  building- line,  and  is,  consequently,  on  Broadway,  6%  feet  or 
more  outside  the  curb-line. 

Vaults  are  untouched  within  the  curb  on  the  standard  section.  Parts  of 
vaults  are  necessarily  taken  for  station  platforms,  and  will  be  paid  for  ;  but  the 
advantage  of  being  in  proximity  to  stations  is  so  manifest  that  they  will  be 
eagerly  competed  for. 

The  carriages  will  be  constructed  of  a  non-resonant,  non-breakable  mate- 
rial upon  steel  frames;  will  be  spacious,  luxurious,  lighted  by  incandescent  lights; 
cannot  be  broken  into  fragments;  cannot,  through  any  conceivable  accident, 
leave  the  rails;  and  will  be  entered  by  side  doors,  level  with  the  platform.  The 
wheels  of  the  trucks  are  42  inches  in  diameter  (the  "Elevated"  being  only  28 
inches)  and  the  truck  itself  so  simple,  solid,  and  powerful  as  to  preclude  the 
possibility  of  accident  from  fracture. 

10 


Construction  will  proceed  without  serious  obstruction  to  the  traffic  of  the 
street,  and  all  new  sewers,  pipes,  and  wires  will  be  in  in  use  in  the  galleries 
before  the  old  are  displaced. 

The  way  stations  have  an  ascent  or  descent  of  but  eleven  feet  (say  20  steps) 
to  the  platform.  This  material  advantage  over  elevated  or  tunnel  roads  is 
peculiar  to  the  Superficial  Subway  System  of  the  Underground  Railway  Con- 
struction Company. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  this  statement,  together  with  the  general  and 
detailed  plans,  for  your  critical  examination. 

George  B.  Post, 
Chief  Engineer  and  Architect. 

Prof.  Henry  Morton,  Ph.  D. 

Member  of  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
President  of  Stevens  Institute  of  Technology. 

Prof.  Charles  F.  Chandler,  Ph.  D.,  M.  D. 

Member  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Ex-President  of  the  Health  Department  of  the  City  of  New- York. 

Julius  W.  Adams,  Esq. 

Consulting  Engineer  of  the  Department  of  Public  Works  of  the 
City  of  New-York. 
Past  President  of  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 

Col.  John  T.  Fanning, 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Fellow  of  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science. 
Member  of  the  New  England  and  the  American  Water-Works 
Associations. 

Consulting  Engineers. 


To 


Prof.  William  P.  Trowbridge, 

Member  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Member  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers 
Member  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers. 
Member  American  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers. 

Charles  C.  Martin,  Esq. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Chief  Engineer  ol  the  New-York  and  Brooklyn  Bridge 

Gen.  Quincy  A.  Gillmore, 

Colonel  of  Engineers,  Brevet  Major-General,  United  States  Army 

Alfred  P.  Boller,  Esq. 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 

Charles  C.  Schneider, 

Member  of  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 
Member  National  German  Engineers  Society  of  Berlin. 


I  I 


GROWTH  OF  LOCAL  TRAVEL  IN  NEW-YORK  CITY. 


J.  Coleman  Drayton,  Esq.,  President. 

Sir: — The  following  table,  compiled  from  the  sworn  reports  of  all  the 
Street  Surface  and  Elevated  lines  for  the  years  named,  shows  the  growth  of 
travel  within  the  past  twenty  years. 


North  and  South 

Total, 

East  and  West 

Year. 

Surface  Lines. 

Elcv&tcd  Lines* 

N  orth  and.  South. 

Lines. 

Tot  a  1  Alovpnipn  t 

w      O   £Z  mi 
IOCS 

74,161,996 

74,161,996 

5,456,882 

79,6l8,8l8 

I  OOO 

82,358,393 

82,358,393 

6,700,715 

89,059, 108 

1807 

85,168,679 

85,  l6o,679 

1 5,354,307 

100,522,986 

I  808 

O6,924,530 

00,924,530 

1 8,49 1 ,090 

105 ,41  5,626 

I869 

94,949,948 

94,949,948 

18,369,378 

I  13,319,326 

I87O 

95,548,158 

95,548,158 

18,053,381 

I  13,601,539 

I87I 

109,022,799 

109,022,799 

20,948,855 

129,971,654 

1872 

I  15,928,799 

167,153 

I  16,095,952 

22,793,397 

138,889,349 

1873 

1  15,257,302 

644,025 

I  15,901,327 

24,681,466 

140,582,793 

1874 

122,029,392 

796,072 

122,825,464 

27,803,459 

150,628,923 

1875 

131,709,165 

920,571 

132,629,736 

33,io7,343 

165,737,079 

I876 

I32,209,l66 

2,012,953 

134,222,119 

33,019,296 

167,241,415 

1877 

126,785,205 

3,01 1,862 

129,979,067 

36,944,720 

166,741,787 

I878 

120,975,213 

9,236,670 

130,211,883 

38,893.856 

169,105,739 

1879 

100,949,970 

45,945,401 

146,895,371 

39,770,416 

186,665,787 

I88O 

105,202,605 

60,831,757 

166,034,362 

43,410,526 

209,444,888 

l88l 

108,880,750 

75,585,778 

184,466,528 

44,749,217 

229,215,745 

1882 

H8,033,338 

86,361,029 

204,394,367 

46,1 16,465 

250,510,832 

I883 

125,817,869 

92,124,943 

2  17,942,812 

48,221,424 

266,164,236 

I884 

134,572,259 

96,701,450 

231,273,709 

49-932,633 

281,205,342 

1885 

142,038,237 

103,354,729 

245,392,966 

48,275,647 

293,668,613 

1886 

156,256,005 

115,109,591 

271,365,596 

50,546,131 

321,911,727 

The  population  of  the  city  by  the  State  census  of  1875  was  1,041,886,  and 
by  the  United  States  census  of  1880  was  1,206,577,  being  an  increase  of  15/0 
per  cent,  for  five  years. 

The  increase  of  total  travel  during  this  period  was  26  ^0  per  cent.,  or  5  ,Vo 
per  cent,  per  annum. 

Note. — The  travel  by  the  elevated  roads  for  year  ending  September  30th,  18S7,  has  been  158,963,232, 
an  increase  over  1886  of  43,853,641,  being  33  per  cent,  more  than  the  total  increase  of  all  lines  in  1886. 

12 


For  the  five  years,  1880  to  1884  inclusive,  the  increase  in  total  travel  was 
34i-0  per  cent.,  or  6/,/b  per  annum,  while  in  1886  the  increase  over  the  previous 
year  was  9  ,Vo  per  cent. 

Prior  to  1884  the  maximum  number  of  passengers  carried  by  the  north 
and  south  surface  lines  was  in  1S76,  when  they  transported  132,209,166  pas- 
sengers. In  the  following  year  they  began  to  lose  business  in  consequence 
of  the  opening  of  the  first  sections  of  the  elevated  roads,  the  full  effect  of  which 
was  not  felt  until  1879,  when  the  traffic  north  and  south  on  the  surface  roads 
was  reduced  to  100,949,970,  although  the  total  travel  north  and  south  was 
12,673,252  greater  than  1876.  In  the  next  year,  although  the  elevated  roads 
show  an  increase  of  33-3  per  cent.,  the  surface  roads  carried  nearly  5,000,000 
more  passengers  than  in  1875;  smce  which  time  both  surface  and  elevated 
lines  show  a  steady  and  rapid  increase.  In  1884  the  surface  roads  had  again 
attained  their  maximum  figures,  while  the  elevated  roads  carried  96,701,450 
passengers,  demonstrating  that  the  entire  number  carried  by  the  elevated 
roads  was  the  natural  increase  of  traffic  for  eight  years.  During  the  first  two 
of  these  years  there  was  a  falling  off  in  the  total  travel,  and  the  business  in 
1878  was  4,000,000  less  than  in  1876.  The  increase,  therefore,  dates  from 
the  commencement  of  the  year  1879,  making  the  period  six  instead  of  eight 
years,  about  17,000,000  per  annum.  In  estimating  the  carrying  capacity  of  a 
north  and  south  passenger  line  in  the  city  of  New-York,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  travel  is  very  unequally  distributed  over  the  twenty-four  hours, 
the  movement  being  largely  in  one  direction  between  certain  hours  in  the 
morning,  and  in  the  other  during  an  approximately  equal  number  of  hours  in 
the  afternoon. 

Thus,  at  the  heaviest  hours  of  travel,  the  trains  may  be  filled  to  their  utmost 
capacity,  including  all  available  space  for  passengers  standing,  while  at  other 
hours  they  may  have  many  empty  seats. 

To  ascertain  what  deduction  should  be  made  from  the  total  seating  capacity 
of  trains  run,  as  an  allowance  for  the  hours  of  light  travel,  and  what  should  be 
added  for  standing  passengers  and  for  places  of  those  traveling  short  distances 
retaken  again  and  again,  careful  analysis  of  authentic  and  very  complete  statistics 
warrants  the  statement  that  the  actual  number  of  persons  carried  is  equal  to  75 
per  cent,  of  the  total  seating  capacity  of  trains  run. 

It  will  be  understood  that  while  the  existing  conditions  of  travel  continue, 
it  would  be  unnecessarily  expensive  to  run  trains  from  the  Battery  at  the  same 
intervals  during  the  hours  of  light  travel  as  during  those  when  the  movement 
between  the  extremes  of  the  line  is  the  heaviest. 

ic  13 


It  may  be  assumed  that  theThird  Avenue  Elevated  Road  is  now  conveying 
its  maximum  number  of  passengers  in  the  busy  hours  of  the  day.  An  exami- 
nation of  the  train  schedules  on  that  line  shows  that  during  the  hours  of  heavy 
travel  the  interval  between  trains  is  i  Yi  minutes,  probably  not  too  great  for 
safety.  The  carrying  capacity  cannot  be  increased  except  by  adding  to  the 
length  of  trains  already  taxing  the  power  of  the  heaviest  locomotives  which  can 
be  operated  with  safety  to  the  structure. 

The  roads  which  the  Underground  Railway  Construction  Company  pro- 
poses to  construct  would  solve  all  these  questions,  having  four  tracks,  two  for 
express  and  two  for  way  trains  ;  long-distance  passengers  being  provided  for  on 
the  former,  the  latter  would  be  available  for  those  traveling  short  distances ;  and 
not  being  limited  in  the  weight  and  tractive  powerof  its  motors  by  any  structure, 
its  trains  may  be  of  any  length  that  can  be  conveniently  handled  at  stations  and 
termini. 

Referring  to  the  train  schedules  of  the  Third  Avenue  Elevated  Road,  we 
find  that  while  the  interval  between  trains  in  the  busy  hours  is  i  %  minutes,  and 
the  longest  interval  15  minutes  between  midnight  and  4.30  a.  m.,  the  average 
for  the  24  hours  is  about  3^  minutes. 

Assuming  the  way  trains  on  the  "  District  "  and  "  Underground 
Roads  to  be  run  upon  a  similar  schedule,  would  give  410  trains  each  way, 
or  a  total  of  820  trains  per  day,  and  express  trains  operated  at  twice  that 
interval  would  add  410  trains,  making  a  total  of  1,230  trains  per  day. 
The  seating  capacity  of  the  road  would  therefore  be  1,230  multiplied  by 
the  number  of  cars  to  each  train,  multiplied  by  50,  the  seating  capacity  of 
each  car. 

This  would,  of  course,  be  largely  increased  as  the  average  intervals  between 
trains  are  decreased. 

Assuming  the  "  District  "  or  "  Underground  "  Road  to  cost  $3,000,000 


per  mile,  the  road  from  the  Battery  to  Harlem  River  would  cost  .  .  .  $36,000,000 
Interest  at  5  per  cent   1,800,000 

Assuming  operating  expenses  at  50  per  cent.,  the  gross  earnings 
must  be  $3,600,000 

Requiring 

18,000,000  through  passengers  by  express  trains  at  10  cents  $1,800,000 

36,000,000  passengers  by  way  trains  at  5  cents   1,800,000 


being  a  total  of  54,000,000  passengers,  or  less  than  the  increase  of  the  last  three  years, 
and  little  more  than  double  the  increase  of  north  and  south  traffic  in  the  single  year  of 
1886. 

♦  14 


The  business  of  the  elevated  roads  on  their  four  lines  demonstrates  that 
the  movement  grows  heavier  upon  approaching  the  center  line,  for,  although  the 
Manhattan  Railway  Company  publishes  no  reports  of  its  business  by  divisions, 
it  is  not  difficult  to  ascertain  from  the  train  schedules  of  the  lines  that  the 
business  of  the  Third  and  the  Sixth  Avenue  lines  far  exceeds  that  of  the  Second 
and  Ninth  Avenues. 

An  estimate  of  the  seating  capacity  of  trains  run  on  all  those  lines  gives  in 
round  numbers  the  following  figures: 


Third  Avenue  line   59,000,000 

Sixth  Avenue  line   48,000,000 

Second  Avenue  line   26,000,000 

Ninth  Avenue  line   20,000,000 


1  53,000,000 

The  actual  numbers  transported  were  115,109,591.  showing  that  25  per 
cent,  should  be  deducted  from  the  difference  between  empty  seats  during  hours 
of  light  travel  and  the  standing  passengers  in  the  busy  hours.  It,  however, 
requires  but  little  observation  to  see  that  this  per  cent,  does  not  apply  equally 
to  the  four  lines,  for  the  trains  on  the  Third  and  Sixth  Avenues  are  not  only 
more  crowded  than  those  on  the  Second  and  Ninth  Avenues  at  the  busy  hours, 
but  the  empty  seats  arc  less  numerous  during  the  hours  of  lightest  travel ; 
therefore  the  Third  and  Sixth  Avenues  transport  a  much  larger  percentage  of 
the  seating  capacity  of  their  trains  than  do  the  Second  and  Ninth  Avenues, 
which  makes  the  difference  much  more  striking  than  in  the  estimates  given. 

The  Elevated  roads  have  now  32-,30i0-  miles  of  double  tracks. 

They  are  capitalized  as  follows : 


1st  Mortgage  Bonds,  Metropolitan  $10,818,000 

2d        "  "  "    4,000,000 

1st       "  "      N.  Y.  Elevated   8,500,000 

2d        "  "  "    1,000,000 

Stock  Manhattan  26,000.000 


$50,318,000 

or,  in  round  numbers,  $1,550,000  per  mile  of  double  track. 

The  proposed  road  having  four  tracks,  actually  two  roads  side  by  side, 
every  mile  is  equivalent  to  two  miles  of  the  Elevated  roads,  or  to  one  mile 
each  of  two  of  those  lines  —  so  that  the  proposed  bond  of  $3,000,000  per  mile 
would  be  less  than  the  present  per  mile  capitalization  of  the  Elevated  system. 


The  Elevated  roads,  owing  to  their  greater  mileage,  must  earn  on 
$50,000,000  of  capital,  while  the  "  District"  or  "  Underground"  Road  will  have 
a  bonded  debt  of  but  $36,000,000. 

The  cost  of  operating  the  Elevated  lines  is  enhanced  by  the  comparatively 
light  travel  on  the  Second  and  Ninth  Avenues,  for  it  will  be  readily  admitted 
that  if  their  operations  were  confined  to  the  Third  and  Sixth  Avenue  lines  the 
percentage  of  operating  expenses  to  gross  receipts  would  be  greatly  diminished, 
and  the  net  earnings  largely  increased. 

It  is  evident  that  the  nearer  we  approach  the  center  line,  the  heavier  the 
travel  becomes,  and,  facilities  being  equal,  there  seems  little  doubt  that  a  line 
through  Broadway  and  Madison  Avenue  would  draw  largely  from  the  existing 
lines  of  travel  by  reason  of  its  favorable  location,  and  would  command  a  traffic 
from  the  outset  which  would  tax  its  entire  capacity.  The  statistics  given  show 
that  the  natural  increase  of  business  would  be  more  than  sufficient  to  enable  the 
proposed  road  to  earn  its  operating  expenses  and  interest  on  its  mortgage. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  1 15,000,000  passengers  carried  by  the  Elevated 
roads  is  made  up  of  those  formerly  traveling  by  surface  lines,  and  although  the 
surface  lines  suffered  heavily  at  the  opening  of  the  Elevated  roads  they  have 
secured  a  sufficient  proportion  of  the  increase  to  recover  the  loss,  and  during 
the  last  year  carried  24,000,000  more  passengers  than  before  the  opening  of  the 
Elevated  roads. 

Calvin  Goddard,  Secretary. 


16 


MEETINGS  OF  CONSULTING;  ENGINEERS. 


( Stenographer  s  Report. ) 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Company's  engineers,  held  at  the  office,  120  Broad- 
way, April  26th,  18S7,  there  were  present:  Professors  Trowbridge  and  Morton, 
and  Messrs.  A.  P.  Boiler,  George  B.  Post,  Frederic  N.  Blanc,  and  Walter  H. 
Knight,  Esqrs.  ;  David  L.  Barnes,  Esq.,  chief  constructor  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Locomotive  Works,  could  not  attend,  but  submitted  drawings  of  the  locomotive 
truck,  the  intermediate  independent  truck,  and  the  car,  together  with  a  descrip- 
tive paper. 

Mr.  Barnes's  drawings  were  examined  and  the  paper  read,  as  follows: 

Description  of  Equipment  of  the  New-York  District  and 
New-York  Underground  Railway. 

(Nine  and  one-half  foot  tunnel.) 

Rhode  Island  Locomotive  Works, 
April  21,  1887. 

The  cars  are  framed  and  braced,  as  shown  in  the  drawings,  in  a  scientific 
and  practicable  manner,  and  being  made  of  mild  steel,  having  the  toughness  of 
the  best  iron  combined  with  the  strength  of  steel,  are  almost  unbreakable,  and 
in  collisions  will  not  splinter  or  break  up,  but  bend  and  twist,  thus  absorbing 
the  shock. 

Any  ordinary  collision  with  this  form  of  car  would  result  in  no  damage. 
The  direct-line  continuous  buffer  shown  under  the  trucks  is  fully  equal  to  the 
Miller  platform  in  preventing  injury.  All  thrusts  are  taken  directly  by  the  sills 
of  the  car,  which  are  braced  and  reenforced  to  receive  them. 

The  passengers  enter  an  "in"  door  at  the  side  near  one  end,  and  leave 
by  the  "out"  door  on  the  same  side  near  the  other  end,  the  clear  aisle  in  the 
center  and  the  sliding  "  in  "  and  "  out"  doors  leaving  a  free  and  direct  passage. 

Seats  are  provided  for  fifty  passengers,  are  upholstered  and  covered  with 
leather,  each  seat  being  separated  from  the  adjacent  seat  as  shown  in  the 

ID  17 


interior  view  of  the  car.  The  panels,  roof,  and  floor  are  covered,  both  inside 
and  out,  with  a  strong,  tough,  flexible  non-resonant  and  non-conducting  mate- 
rial called  "  Ferflax,"  which,  fastened  in  the  manner  shown,  materially  adds  to 
the  strength  of  the  car,  forming  as  it  does  a  continuous  basket-work  or  web. 
This  material  is  flexible  to  such  a  degree  as  not  to  shatter  under  shock,  and 
is  also  non-resonant  owing  to  the  want  of  homogeneity,  and  to  its  chemical 
and  mechanical  composition.  The  floor  of  the  car  and  the  outer  layer  of 
"Ferflax"  on  the  sides  are  thicker  and  made  of  heavier  wire  than  the  inner 
panels. 

The  roof  is  covered  in  the  same  manner  as  the  sides. 

Double  sliding  end  doors  permit  passage  of  the  trainmen  from  one  car 
to  another  throughout  the  train  ;  they  also  afford  a  means  of  exit  to  passengers 
in  case  of  accident  within  the  tunnel. 

The  ventilation  of  the  cars  is  accomplished  by  recessed  ventilators  at  the 
ends  of  the  car.  These  ventilators  automatically  reverse  when  the  car  changes 
direction,  and  thus  are  always  ready  to  allow  currents  of  air  to  enter  and  leave 
the  car  at  the  proper  points  to  avoid  draughts. 

The  safety  trolleys  at  the  sides  of  the  car  near  the  top  are  intended  to  bear 
upon  the  deflecting  plates  or  rails  fixed  upon  the  walls  of  the  tunnel  in  case 
of  accident  to  the  trucks;  during  ordinary  vibrations  and  oscillations  the  car 
will  not  touch  the  plates. 

Oscillations  of  the  car  are  regulated  in  three  ways  :  First,  by  the  trucks  ; 
second,  by  the  safety  wheels  at  the  bottom ;  and  third,  by  the  steady  buffer ; 
these  prevent  the  galloping  and  snake-like  motion  observable  in  ordinary  cars; 
this  motion,  which  v/ould  otherwise  possibly  cause  the  upper  safety  trolley  to 
touch  the  deflecting  plates  on  the  walls  of  the  tunnel,  is  thus  obviated. 

The  safety  wheels  at  the  bottom  of  the  car  are  made  with  wide  treads  and 
flanges  in  such  manner  that  should  the  car  fall  to  the  rails  from  any  accident 
upon  tangents,  curves  or  turnouts,  these  wheels  would  support  the  car  and  allow 
it  to  proceed  until  stopped  by  the  electro-magnetic  brakes,  which  would  be 
automatically  applied  by  the  fall.  The  safety  wheels  are  also  to  be  used  in 
handling  the  cars  while  removing  the  cars  from  the  trucks  by  drop-table  and  in 
making  up  trains.  The  trucks  being  run  upon  this  table,  the  hydraulic  lift  is 
lowered,  the  trucks  fall  away  from  the  car  which  now  rests  upon  the  safety 
wheels,  and  the  trucks  and  cars  can  be  rolled  off  to  be  exchanged,  inspected,  or 
repaired  ;  all  trucks  are  interchangeable. 

Although  this  improved  car  occupies  a  larger  proportion  of  the  total  area 
of  the  tunnel  than  one  with  trucks  beneath,  yet  the  difference  in  displacement 

18 


is  but  little,  and  the  column  of  air  to  be  moved  is  less,  for  the  reason  that  in 
the  old,  ordinary  form  of  car  the  swing  bolsters  of  the  many  trucks  and  the  other 
details  which  necessarily  lie  as  close  to  the  rail  as  the  bottom  of  the  new  car, 
offer  such  resistance  to  the  passage  of  air  in  large  quantities  that  it  would 
practically  amount  to  a  car  filling  the  tunnel  from  the  bottom  of  the  bolster  up. 
The  area  of  the  nine  and  one-half  foot  tunnel  being  less,  the  column  of  air  to  be 
moved  is  less,  hence  the  work  demanded  at  the  stationary  engines  as  well  as 
the  movement  of  air  at  the  stations  is  less.  The  annular  area  around  the  car  is 
as  large  a  proportion  of  the  total  area  of  the  tunnel,  and  the  return  current  will 
therefore  reduce  the  pressure  in  front  as  much  as  in  the  old  form.  At  high 
speeds  the  air  to  be  moved  is  nearly  all  that  is  in  front  of  the  train  in  the 
tunnel.  These  motors  will  have  sufficient  power  to  move  and  keep  in  motion 
such  a  column,  yet  it  is  not  economical  to  do  this,  and  to  prevent  the  necessary 
movement  of  so  large  a  volume,  as  well  as  to  avoid  rush  or  puff  of  air  at  the 
stations,  alternating  panels  in  the  partitions  should  be  removed  near  the 
stations  ;  this  will  allow  the  ready  adjustment  of  the  pressure  in  the  tunnel  due 
to  the  passage  of  many  trains  at  varying  speeds.  There  can  be  no  difficulty  with 
the  movement  of  air  if  panels  are  omitted  in  proper  places.  The  location  or 
extent  of  such  openings  can  be  determined  only  approximately  by  any  other 
method  than  actual  operation. 

The  electro-magnetic  brakes  can  be  applied  at  any  point  of  the  train  by 
pressing  a  button  in  any  car.  No  other  form  of  brake  is  so  instantaneous  in  its 
operation  or  so  powerful  and  easily  released.  The  time  required  to  operate  air 
brakes  is  against  their  use  on  trains  following  in  such  rapid  succession. 

The  independent  intermediate  trucks  are  framed  and  braced  to  carry  the 
car  as  low  down  as  possible,  the  centre  of  gravity  being  so  low  that  the  car  can 
scarcely  be  overturned  by  any  accident.  The  lateral*  motion  of  the  car  is  free 
within  the  limits  of  the  tunnel,  but  is  prevented  from  reaching  the  sides  by 
cushions  on  the  trucks.  Rolling  motion  is  also  free  within  the  tunnel  limits,  but 
is  governed  by  the  truck  in  such  a  manner  that  the  cars  cannot  strike  the  wall; 
yet  owing  to  the  height  of  the  centre  over  which  it  rolls,  it  has  the  regular 
motion  of  the  common  "  Pullman,"  and  therefore  will  ride  easily  upon  curves 
and  turnouts. 

The  buffers  under  these  trucks  are  continuous,  and  so  arranged  that  the 
trucks  can  be  removed  by  the  drop-table  vertically,  without  removal  of  .any 
detail  except  the  connecting  spring.  The  truck  itself  is  its  own  drawbar,  and 
is  fully  braced  to  meet  these  requirements.  As  heavy  as  the  hauling  strains 
may  be,  with  such  powerful  motors  they  do  not  approach  the  magnitudes  of  the 

>9 


butting  stresses  and  shocks  which  are  taken  directly  by  the  buffers  beneath, 
thus  relieving  the  truck  from  all  shock. 

The  centre-pin  upon  which  the  cars  rest  is  filled  with  chilled  cast-iron  balls 
which  will  allow  the  trucks  to  move  easily  and  remain  parallel  with  the  track, 
thus  preventing  excessive  flange-wear  of  the  wheels.  The  springs  in  the 
centre-pin  act  as  cushions  to  release  the  truck  framing  and  prevent  shocks  while 
the  trucks  pass  over  low  joints,  uneven  rails,  and  frogs,  although  the  perfection 
of  roadbed  and  track  will  be  almost  complete. 

The  wheels  of  the  intermediate  independent  trucks  and  motor  trucks  are 
non-resonant,  provided  with  steel  tires  and  retaining-rings  to  prevent  accidents 
by  the  breaking  of  tires. 

The  breaking  of  an  axle  on  these  trucks  will  cause  no  trouble  whatever. 
It  will  be  firmly  held  to  prevent  gyrations  by  the  safety-beam. 

The  motor  trucks  are  interchangeable  with  the  intermediate  trucks  as  to 
the  end  not  occupied  by  the  motor ;  many  of  the  parts  are  the  same,  and  any 
motor  truck  can  be  coupled  to  either  end  of  any  car. 

The  framing  of  the  motor  truck  has  all  the  advantages  possessed  by  the 
intermediate  truck,  is  placed  inside  the  wheels,  and  is  particularly  designed  to 
take  the  thrust  of  the  large  gears  when  driven  by  the  powerful  motor  at  either 
end  of  the  train.  The  motor  is  designed  particularly  to  satisfy  the  requirements 
of  this  work ;  it  has  divided  bobbins,  series  wound  field  with  laminated  pole- 
pieces,  laminated  armature  core.  Motors  of  this  design  are  free  from  all  the 
difficulties  of  the  old  forms.  The  sparking  is  almost  nothing,  and  the  heating 
due  to  local  induced  currents  so  small  that  the  efficiency  ought  not  to  be  far  from 
80%.  The  power  of  such  motors  is  beyond  question.  The  efficiency  of  many 
dynamos  now  in  operation  is  90% ;  therefore  such  motors  and  dynamos  con- 
nected to  the  best  form  of  stationary  engine  would  give  in  the  motor  one 
horse-power  per  hour,  with  an  expenditure  of  four  pounds  of  coal,  which  is 
small  in  comparison  with  the  coal  per  horse-power  for  locomotives  of  any 
sort.  The  New-York  Elevated  use  from  eight  to  fourteen  pounds  per  horse- 
power ;  this  leaves  a  wide  margin  of  economy  for  the  electric  locomotive  here 
shown. 

Its  actual  hauling  power  is  something  enormous,  as  is  easily  seen  by  com- 
paring its  dimensions  with  the  motors  now  driving  cars  and  machinery,  the 
capacity  varying  nearly  as  the  fifth  power  of  the  dimension. 

The  method  of  collecting  the  electric  current  for  these  motor  trucks  is  such 
that  the  current  will  always  be  on  the  motor  ready  for  use  while  the  cars  are 
being  switched  in  any  direction. 

20 


The  arrangement  for  signaling  and  dispatching  these  trains  can  be  quite 
the  same  as  the  best  surface  roads,  with  substitution  of  lights  for  flays,  and  with 
the  additional  safeguard  in  an  electric  indicator  on  each  motor  truck  which 
informs  the  engineer  of  all  signals  requiring  his  attention,  thus  furnishing  a 
duplication  of  orders  and  preventing  an)-  misunderstanding. 

Interlocking  levers  at  the  switching  stations  will  prevent  any  possibility  of 
the  indicator  in  the  motors  not  agreeing  with  the  conditions  of  the  switches. 
The  train  is  made  up  solid,  say  ten  cars,  with  five  hundred  seats,  with  nine 
intermediate  and  two  independent  motor  trucks.  There  will  be  no  change  of 
engines  at  the  termini,  the  train  beinLT  a  doublc-ender. 

Prof.  Trowbridge  :  The  hauling  force  of  the  motors  is  much  greater  than 
the  adhesion  of  the  rails. 

Mr.  Knight :  The  weight  of  the  car  comes  on  the  motor  truck,  and  it  is 
amply  sufficient  for  the  grades  and  loads  set  out  in  the  specifications.  The 
weight  of  the  cars  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  thirty  tons  when  loaded.  There 
would  be  a  weight  of  thirty  tons  on  each  truck.  Each  truck  weighs  fifteen  tons, 
and  carries  one-half  of  two  cars,  so  that  there  is  really  forty-five  tons  altogether 
available  for  traction  purposes.  We  require  so  much  because  we  have  to 
accelerate  so  fast,  to  get  up  way  quickly.  Nearly  all  the  power  is  expended  in 
acceleration.  There  are  grades  in  this  subway  where  we  have  to  start  at  the 
bottom  and  get  up  speed  by  the  time  we  get  to  the  top. 

Mr.  Boiler :  What  is  the  limit  to  the  number  of  motors  run  on  a  single 
circuit  ? 

Mr.  Knight :  As  long  as  the  central  station  is  of  sufficient  size  it  does  not 
make  any  difference.  If  it  is  adapted  to  run  ten  trains  it  runs  one  with  equal 
facility,  but  the  engine  does  not  do  as  much  work.  The  engine  is  running  and 
the  dynamos  are  running,  but  the  armature  is  turning  without  any  resistance. 
If  there  be  15,000  horse-power  it  may  be  all  called  upon  in  an  instant,  or  only 
one  or  two  horse-power  may  be  required.  The  current  out  will  be  proportion- 
able to  the  number  of  cars  running,  and  the  closure  of  the  circuit  on  a  number 
of  cars  will  call  for  a  certain  amount  of  current.  We  have  found  it  necessary  to 
divide  the  road  into  sections,  divide  the  dynamos  into  certain  plants,  so  that  each 
motor  would  be  driven  from  a  single  dynamo.  The  road  lends  itself  so  easily 
to  such  a  subdivision  that  we  propose  to  do  it  that  way.  The  road  has  sixteen 
sections,  nearly  all  equal  in  length  ;  there  will  be  sixteen  dynamos,  each  running 
one  section,  a  motor  in  each  section.  If  two  motors  got  on  the  same  section, 
the  rear  motor  would  immediately  indicate  by  the  reduction  of  the  power  that 


it  was  approaching  within  less  than  a  section  of  another.  It  makes  an  absolute 
block,  so  that  one  motor  cannot  overtake  another.  The  leading  motor  would 
run  on  and  get  into  the  next  section.  The  reduction  would  be  in  both  motors, 
but  it  is  easy  to  use  a  device  by  which  the  rear  motor  would  be  cut  out. 

Mr.  Boiler  :  Suppose  you  have  a  heavy  train  ahead  and  a  light  train 
behind  ? 

Mr.  Knight:  They  could  never  get  more  than  equal  velocities;  these 
motors  are  run  independently  for  each  section,  and  it  is  because  the  system  is 
so  laid  out  that  this  plan  is  adopted.  We  have  a  separate  pair  of  conductors 
for  each  section,  and  that  operates  as  a  perfect  block  system. 

Prof.  Trowbridge:  The  train  following  could  not  overtake  one  in  advance? 

Mr.  Knight:  No.  At  the  Rhode  Island  Locomotive  Works  we  have  a 
section  in  operation  five  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  and  operating  perfectly. 

Prof.  Morton  :  I  think  it  is  no  longer  a  question  that  a  railroad  can  be 
physically  run  by  means  of  the  electric  motor.  To  run  the  Erie  Railroad  would 
not  be  financially  feasible  with  electric  locomotives,  but  if  the  road  is  short 
enough  so  that  the  cost  of  conductors  for  carrying  the  electricity  is  not  too 
great,  there  is  no  doubt  about  its  feasibility. 

Mr.  Boiler:  It  has  to  be  judged  by  its  commercial  aspect. 

Prof  Morton  :  I  should  not  feel  any  doubts.  I  know  that  there  are  surface 
roads  running  that  have  been  operated  continuously  for  two  or  three  years,  day 
in  and  day  out,  through  snow,  sleet,  and  hail,  and  it  can  be  done  anywhere.  1 
think  it  is  economical  as  compared  with  horse  or  cable  traction. 

Mr.  Post :  What  would  be  the  effect  of  the  low  grades  on  this  road,  say  in 
crossing  Canal  street,  in  case  of  the  breaking  of  one  of  the  Croton  water  mains 
in  the  side  galleries,  letting  a  large  amount  of  water  on  the  track,  so  that  there 
would  be  say  five  inches  of  water? 

Mr.  Knight :  The  conductors  are  arranged  overhead,  so  that  there  could 
be  no  difficulty  from  that  cause,  and  as  there  is  an  open  conduit  under  the  water 
main  no  water  could  enter  the  railway  tunnel  except  by  a  combination  of  two 
accidents — the  bursting  of  the  water  mains  and  the  failure  of  the  sewer  at  the 
same  time. 

Mr.  Boiler :  Have  you  made  any  estimate  of  the  relative  cost  of  the  electric 
locomotive  as  against  the  steam  power  now  used? 

Mr.  Knight :  There  would  be  a  consumption  of  four  pounds  of  coal  per 
horse-power  as  against  twelve  to  sixteen  by  the  locomotives  in  use  on  the 
Elevated  roads. 

Mr.  Boiler:  What  is  the  loss  in  transferring  the  steam  into  electricity^ 

22 


Mr.  Knight :  Fifty  per  cent. 

Prof.  Morton  :  I  should  say  that  is  a  very  liberal  allowance. 

Mr.  Boiler:  For  every  horse-power  utilized  by  the  motor  you  are  using- 
four  pounds  of  coal  at  the  central  station  ? 

Mr.  Knight:  Yes.  There  are  many  establishments  in  the  world  that  will 
do  the  work  and  guarantee  its  efficiency.  There  is  no  doubt  about  the  economy 
of  the  electric  locomotive  which  we  shall  use  here. 

Prof.  Morton :  The  difficult)-  with  many  experiments  has  been  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  machines.  If  they  were  no  better  built  than  some  machinery 
I  have  seen  in  operation,  I  do  not  wonder  that  some  experiments  with  which  we 
are  familiar  have  not  succeeded.  They  were  not  equal  to  the  occasion.  An 
excellent  plan  is  sometimes  condemned  to  failure  through  bad  workmanship. 

Mr.  Knight:  The  Rhode  Island  Locomotive  Works  has  taken  no  one's 
word  for  this  locomotive.  They  were  not  electricians.  They  ascertained  what 
the  relation  of  power  is  to  given  weights,  and  estimated  from  that  how  much 
the  motor  will  have  to  weigh  to  give  so  much  power.  They  have  satisfied 
themselves  that  this  is  just  the  kind  of  motor  to  do  this  work.  There  are 
machines  built  to-day  that  will  put  five  hundred  horse-power  into  an  electric 
current,  and  those  machines  will  be  guaranteed  to  give  ninety  per  cent,  efficiency. 
That  same  machine  used  as  a  motor  will  also  give  an  efficiency  of  ninety  per 
cent.,  say  at  least  eighty  per  cent. 

Prof.  Trowbridge  :  I  see  all  this  very  completely  and  fully,  but  there  is  one 
question  with  regard  to  the  conductors.  There  is  a  tremendous  current  of  great 
intensity  and  power;  is  there  any  chance  of  its  becoming  dangerous? 

Mr.  Knight:  It  is  to  have  a  very  abundant  insulation.  There  is  abundant 
room  for  it.  A  single  rail  of  copper,  solid  as  the  rest  of  the  tunnel,  and  can  be 
boxed  in. 

Prof.  Trowbridge :  What  is  the  size  of  it  ? 

Mr.  Knight:  Two  square  inches  solid.  The  tunnel  will  be  inaccessible 
to  the  public,  and  it  is  perfectly  under  control  of  the  officers  of  the  company. 
The  same  current  will  light  the  incandescent  lights  on  the  cars,  and  the  stations 
will  also  be  lighted  and  the  signals  operated  with  it. 

Prof.  Trowbridge :  All  these  plans  seem  to  have  been  worked  out  very 
thoroughly  to  the  minutest  details,  and  present  no  engineering  difficulties 
whatever.  I  have  examined  the  sketches  submitted,  showing  the  plans  for 
ventilating  the  tunnels  automatically  by  the  movement  of  trains,  by  the  removal 
of  vitiated  air  from  the  stations  and  its  replacement  by  fresh  air  by  shafts,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  these  devices  will  secure  the  perfect  ventilation  of  the 


whole  structure.  There  will  need  to  be  detailed  plans  for  distribution  of  fresh 
air  and  the  control  of  the  currents;  but  these  can  be  arranged  under  the  plat- 
forms and  on  either  side  of  the  stations  along  the  route. 

Mr.  Post :  Inasmuch  as  under  this  system  no  provision  need  be  made  for 
varying  conditions, —  that  is,  to  protect  passengers  from  rain,  snow,  high  winds, 
and  dust,  the  external  forces  of  nature, —  but  as  we  can  control  all  the  conditions 
with  reasonable  completeness,  including  approximate  even  temperature  at  dif- 
ferent seasons,  I  see  no  reason  why,  after  a  little  experience  in  working  the 
line,  we  may  not  adjust  all  the  conditions,  so  as  to  make  it  by  far  the  most 
agreeable,  as  it  certainly  will  be  the  safest,  form  of  traveling  yet  devised.  The 
success  of  the  line  ought  to  be  immediate  and  complete.  I  shall  ask  you  to 
meet  in  October,  after  the  summer  vacation,  to  inspect  and  consider  the  prog- 
ress meantime  made. 

******* 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Consulting  Engineers,  held  at  the  office  of  the 
Company,  October  20th,  at  3  p.  M.,  there  were  present:  George  B.  Post,  Chief 
Engineer ;  Professors  Trowbridge,  Morton,  and  Chandler,  Messrs.  Adams, 
Schneider,  and  Boiler,  Consulting  Engineers  ;  Frederic  N.  Blanc,  David  L. 
Barnes,  \Y.  Barclay  Parsons,  Jr.,  and  R.  W.  Creuzbaur,  Engineers;  Rowland 
R.  Hazard,  Vice- President,  and  Calvin  Goddard,  Treasurer  of  the  Company. 

General  Gillmore  was  detained  by  indisposition,  Mr.  Martin  by  a  meeting 
of  the  Bridge  Trustees,  and  Colonel  Fanning  was  absent  from  the  city. 

A  careful  inspection  was  made  of  a  model  of  Broadway,  from  the  house  • 
lines,  showing  every  detail,  on  a  scale  of  one  inch  to  one  foot,  of  the  proposed 
railway,  pipe  and  wire  galleries,  and  arcades,  executed  by  Samuelson  and 
Herter  Brothers.  The  indestructible  passenger-car,  lighted  by  incandescent 
lamps,  intermediate  independent  truck,  and  electric  locomotive,  constructed  at 
Providence,  after  the  designs  and  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Barnes,  and 
panels  and  plates  of  Ferflax,  for  tunnel  and  car  construction,  showing  the 
material  fresh  from  the  hydraulic  press,  and  also  after  thirty  days'  oxidation. 

After  the  inspection  was  concluded,  Mr.  Post,  Chief  Engineer,  presided, 
and  said  : 

The  inspection  of  the  models  and  plans  prepared  during  the  summer  has 
been  interesting  and  satisfactory  in  all  respects.  We  should  be  glad  to  hear 
something  of  the  legal  status  of  the  company  before  resuming  the  discussion  of 
engineering  questions. 

Colonel  Hazard,  Vice-President :  In  the  unavoidable  absence  of  Mr.  Dray- 
ton, the  President  (who  is  also  of  counsel),  I  suppose  it  is  proper  enough  for  me  to 

24 


say  that  both  the  "  District "  and  "  Underground  "  roads  are  in  the  courts,  and  that 
so  far  as  the  "  Underground"  road  is  concerned,  we  are  now  before  the  Superior 
Court,  on  a  motion  to  compel  the  Board  of  Works  to  allow  us  to  open  the 
streets  and  proceed  with  construction.  That  application  is  made  at  the  foot  of  a 
decree  that  the  Company  had  acquired  full  rights,  and  that  they  were  subsistent 
rights,  were  the  subject  of  sale,  and  on  that  decree  the  property  was  sold  and 
bought  and  we  acquired  it ;  so  we  have  asked  at  the  foot  of  that  decree,  which 
declared  that  the  rights  had  survived,  for  an  order  directing  the  Board  of  Works 
to  allow  us  to  proceed  with  the  road  before  the  close  of  the  season.  When  we 
get  that  permit,  we  have,  from  what  Mr.  Post  calls  the  "  financial  authorities," 
every  needful  assurance  that  the  money  will  be  forthcoming  to  proceed  with  and 
complete  the  construction.  As  for  the  "  District "  Road,  it  was  organized 
under  the  General  Railroad  Act  in  due  form,  and  we  then  proceeded  under  the 
Act  of  1880,  known  as  the  "Tunneling  Act,"  to  acquire  the  consent  of  the 
property  owners  on  Broadway,  23d  and  14th  streets.  We  obtained  consents 
and  refusals  up  to  a  certain  point,  and  applied  for  a  Commission,  and  the  Gen- 
eral Term  of  the  Court  handed  down  a  decision  on  the  last  day  of  1886 
refusing  to  grant  the  Commission,  but  permitting  us  to  apply  again  under 
a  different  state  of  facts.  This  gave  us  the  coveted  opportunity  to  get  to  the 
Court  of  Appeals  on  motion  and  get  a  final  decision  from  it.  The  Court  below 
decided  no  points  concerning  the  law,  except  that  the  road  was  a  "street 
railroad,"  and  that  we  would  be  obliged  to  go  to  the  local  authorities  for  their 
consent.  The  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals  brought  out  all  the  points.  The 
chief  object  that  we  had  in  view  was  not  to  get  a  Commission,  because  we  have 
no  doubt,  with  our  excellent  plans,  and  with  the  moral  support  and  actual  assist- 
ance of  you  gentlemen,  that  the  public  are  going  to  see  that  this  road  ought  to 
be  built,  and  speedily.  We  do  not  apprehend  any  insuperable  difficulty  in  get- 
ting the  consent  of  property  owners.  Prior  to  this  decision  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals  nobody  knew  whether  the  law  was  constitutional  or  not.  No  railroad 
had  ever  been  built  under  its  provisions,  and  it  was  contended  by  the  law  de- 
partment of  the  City  of  New-York  that  the  law  was  never  intended  to  author- 
ize the  construction  of  a  railroad  within  a  city,  but  that  it  was  intended  to 
enable  a  road  like  the  New-York  Central  to  go  underneath  the  streets  of  a  city 
like  Utica  or  Syracuse  in  passing  on  through  the  State,  but  it  was  never  con- 
templated that  such  a  road  should  commence  and  end  within  a  city.  The  Court 
decided  that  point  in  our  favor  in  terms,  and  most  clearly.  It  also  deci"ded 
that  the  law  "  authorizes  and  regulates  underground  street  railways  within  a 
city,"  and  "  that  the  appellant's  road  is  such  a  railway,"  so  that  that  vital  point 

25 


was  decided  in  our  favor  and  finally.  Another  very  important  point  was  a's  to 
whether  this  road  is  a  street  railroad  per  se,  and  that  point  was  also  clearly  de- 
cided, that  it  is  a  "street  railroad,"  and  that  the  law  confers  benefits  upon  the 
Corporation  by  virtue  of  its  being  such,  that  the  Legislature  has  constituted  it  one 
of  the  legitimate  uses  of  the  street,  that  is  to  say,  one  of  the  uses  for  which  the 
street  was  originally  conveyed  by  proprietors  to  the  municipality.  The  Court 
decided  that  we  must  go  to  the  local  authorities,  as  well  as  to  the  abutting 
owners,  for  consents ;  that  follows  as  a  matter  of  course.  The  decision  of  the 
Court  of  Appeals  is  a  favorable  solution  of  the  whole  legal  problem.  We  have 
found  just  what  our  rights  are,  and  just  what  our  burdens  are,  and  that  the  law- 
was  intended  for  the  construction  of  just  such  a  road  as  the  "  District  "  or  the 
"Underground."  Another  point  was  this:  The  law  said  that  the  railroad 
built  under  the  provisions  of  the  act  should  be  built  "  in  a  tunnel  and  not 
otherwise."  We  wanted  a  judicial  determination  of  what  was  meant  by  "  a 
tunnel."  This  is  called  a  "tunnel  road,"  but  it  is  not  in  the  ordinary  sense. 
We  remove  the  whole  surface  of  the  ground  and  do  not  replace  it,  but  place 
another  street  surface  twelve  feet  below  the  present,  and  therein  and  thereon 
construct  an  architectural  structure,  the  roof  of  which  we  convert  into  the  new 
surface  of  the  street.  That  was  elaborately  set  out  in  the  arguments.  The 
result  was  that  the  Court  decided  that  this  is  precisely  the  kind  of  road  that 
was  intended  by  the  law,  and  that  the  law  contemplated  the  removal  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  street  and  the  substitution  of  an  artificial  surface.  Three  great 
points  were  therefore  favorably  decided :  the  constitutionality  of  the  law  itself, 
the  fact  that  we  are  a  "street  railroad,"  and  entitled  to  the  full  benefit  of 
"  street  uses,"  and  that  the  words  "built  in  a  tunnel  and  not  otherwise "  de- 
scribed our  form  of  road  ;  so  that  we  have  achieved  a  most  extraordinary  and 
complete  success.  Everything  now  depends  upon  getting  the  consent  of  the 
property  owners  and  the  local  authorities,  and  they  will  surely  come  through 
the  excellence  of  our  plans.  The  plans  that  have  heretofore  been  devised  for 
dealing  with  Broadway  have  contemplated  excavations  of  27  to  30  feet,  which 
have  naturally  alarmed  the  property  owners.  No  property  owner  along  the  line 
of  the  road  has  objected  to  our  plans  on  the  ground  of  clanger  to  abutting  struc- 
tures, or  the  extent  or  character  of  the  excavation.  We  already  have  a  great 
number  of  consents,  but  have  not  the  great  corporation  and  "estate"  properties; 
we  have  only  two  of  the  millionaire  estates.  Some  of  the  greatest  owners  have 
said  that  they  approve  the  plans,  and  we  have  no  doubt,  as  soon  as  the  case  in 
which  they  are  plaintiffs  against  the  Arcade  Company  is  concluded,  will  consent 

with  the  greatest  readiness,  but  will  not  sign  while  it  may  be  claimed  that  they 

26 


are  sustaining  one  corporation  against  another.  We  apprehend  no  great  diffi- 
culty in  getting  the  necessary  consents,  based  upon  the  intrinsic  goodness  and 
thoroughness  of  our  plans.  It  is  a  matter  of  time  only,  and  when  the  property 
owners  and  such  "  local  authorities  "  as  Mayor  Hewitt  and  General  Newton 
examine  the  results  of  your  deliberations,  and  find  that  the  plans  contemplate 
perfect  and  permanent  street  surfaces, — electric  subways  that  afford  house  con- 
nections, gas  and  water  pipe  storage  that  wholly  prevents  leakage,  as  well  as 
real  rapid  transit,  with  economy,  safety  and  comfort, — they  will,  I  firmly  believe, 
become  ardent  and  powerful  friends. 

Professor  Troii'bridge :  Would  the  Arcade  Company,  supposing  it  to  be  in 
legal  existence,  have  to  get  the  consent  of  the  property  owners  ? 

Colonel  Hazard :  Not  if  the  corporation  exists,  which  is  denied,  and  the  char- 
ter is  good.  It  would  then  be  in  nearly  as  good  a  situation  on  Broadway,  as 
we  are  on  Mulberry  Street,  Fourth  Avenue,  Broadway  and  Madison  Avenue,  the 
difference  in  our  favor  being  this,  that  the  Arcade  Company  has  never  acquired 
any  right  to  lay  down  railroad  tracks,  whereas  we  have  acquired  a  right,  and 
we  have  a  decision  of  the  court  to  that  effect ;  our  rights  have  vested,  its  rights 
are  inchoate.  The  Arcade  Company  cannot  acquire  a  right  to  lay  a  railroad, 
under  the  provisions  of  its  charter,  until  it  has  three  million  dollars  in  its  treasury, 
has  given  a  certain  large  bond,  etc.  It  has  no  existing  vested  right.  So  far 
as  the  "  Underground  "  road  is  concerned,  we  have,  because  our  charter  does  not 
require  that  we  should  do  any  of  these  things.  As  to  the  14th  Street  and  23d 
Street  supplementary  lines,  we  have  got  many  consents  on  23d  Street  and  on  14th 
Street,  a  very  considerable  proportion;  both  of  these  we  can  finish  at  any  time  it 
is  desirable,  but  there  is  no  object  in  getting  them  before  those  on  the  Broadway 
line,  because  we  want  to  go  into  the  Board  of  Aldermen  with  a  single  applica- 
tion. Therefore,  we  consider  the  legal  status  of  the  different  companies  as  they 
stand  to-day  exceedingly  good.  Now  in  the  matter  of  the  structure  itself.  Since 
the  last  meeting  we  have  reduced  the  finished  excavation  to  9^  feet,  an 
immense  saving  in  time,  cost  and  difficulty  of  construction,  and  this  has  been 
effected  through  the  adoption  of  the  intermediate  truck,  which  Mr.  Barnes  has 
been  describing  to  you. 

Mr.  Barnes :  There  is  a  motor  car  now  operated  in  Woonsocket  as  success- 
fully as  any  electric  car  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  It  is  a  new  motor,  and  is  doing 
the  best  work  that  could  be  asked  for.  The  car  takes  two  other  loaded  cars  up  a 
grade  of  7%.  The  armature  revolves  2000  times  a  minute,  and  is  10  inches  in 
diameter.    If  the  car  runs  off  the  track  into  the  dirt,  the  motor  is  powerful  enough 

to  pull  it  on  to  the  rails  again,  even  though  the  car  is  loaded  with  passengers. 

27 


Professor  Trowbridge :  What  does  it  cost  to  operate  it  ? 

Mr.  Barnes:  Six  dollars  per  clay,  but  that  includes  the  wages  of  the 
engineer  in  charge  of  the  engine,  which  are  two  dollars  per  day.  If  the 
number  of  cars  were  increased,  the  cost  per  car  would  be  much  less,  as 
the  wages  would  then  be  divided  between  them.  In  most  electric  motors 
one  difficulty  has  been  the  sparking.  In  some  cases  the  sparking  was  so 
great  as  to  burn  the  brushes.  This  motor  has  no  spark  ;  the  brush  is  almost 
constant.  The  gears  are  noiseless,  and  of  rawhide,  which  wears  longer  than 
bronze  gear;  the  rawhide  cuts  away  the  metal,  but  if  dust  could  be  excluded, 
the  wear  would  be  much  less.  The  rawhide  gear  costs  more  than  the  metal, 
about  $16;  but  they  have  such  a  long  life  that  they  are  cheaper  in  the  end. 
There  would  be  very  little  dust  on  the  "District"  or  "  Underground "  roads. 
With  tunnels,  as  the  engineers  have  explained  they  intend  to  have  them,  we 
shall  keep  perfectly  free  from  dust.  There  is  no  reason  why  a  motor  built  of 
a  size  to  carry  210  passengers  up  a  grade  of  7%,  as  is  done  in  Woonsocket, 
as  fast  as  the  motor  can  run,  could  not  be  enlarged  to  carry  500  passengers 
a  good  deal  faster  on  an  underground  road.  The  resistance  per  ton  in  a 
horse  car  is  1 5  to  25  pounds,  whereas  in  a  well-built  railroad  it  would  run  from 
5%  to  10  or  11. 

Mr.  Creuzbaur :  What  speed  has  the  Woonsocket  car  ? 

Mr.  Barnes :  It  runs  up  to  fifteen  miles  an  hour.  Horses  have  been  run- 
ning the  cars  on  that  line  out  and  back  in  half  an  hour  ;  it  now  takes  just  ten 
minutes  for  the  motor  to  make  the  trip,  so  that  it  makes  three  trips  instead  of 
one.  At  high  speeds  the  motor  is  more  economical ;  this  advantage  you  would 
gain  in  the  underground  road.  This  motor  carries  three  cars,  210  passengers, 
up  a  grade  of  7%,  at  the  rate  of  about  six  miles  per  hour.  You  have  no  grade 
nearly  as  heavy  as  that.  You  cannot  speak  of  the  Woonsocket  road  as  an  experi- 
ment. It  is  a  working  road,  and  can  be  compared  very  honestly  to  the  stationary 
engines.  It  occupies  the  same  relation  to  large  motors  as  small  stationary  en- 
gines do  to  large  ones.  A  large  one  would  work  better  and  more  economically. 
In  your  tunnels  and  on  your  perfect  road-bed  the  last  difficulty  would  disappear. 

Prof.  Morton:  The  statements  made  by  Mr.  Barnes  are  correct,  unless 
one  carries  them  forward  to  an  extent  they  are  not  intended  to  be  carried.  Of 
course  you  do  not  intend  it  to  be  understood  that  you  could  run  trains  thirty 
miles  an  hour  more  economically  than  you  could  ten  miles,  counting  stops. 

Mr.  Barnes :  I  can  furnish  a  great  number  of  foot  pounds  at  less  per  foot 
pound.  That,  of  course,  would  be  true  as  to  any  motor,  but  not  to  the  same 
extent. 

28 


Col.  Hazard :  The  question  was  whether  this  experiment  throws  any  real 
light  on  the  tremendous  undertaking  that  we  have  to  deal  with  here  in  handling 
these  heavy,  rapid,  frequent  trains.  Another  question  raised  by  the  late  Rapid 
Transit  Commission  is,  whether,  in  the  event  of  the  electric  motor  proving 
incompetent  or  insufficient  to  accomplish  this  work,  locomotive  steam  engines 
could  be  built  to  doit;  smokeless  and  unobjectionable,  and  which  would  not 
vitiate  the  air.  I  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Rhode  Island  Locomotive  Works  on 
that  subject,  and  Mr.  Barnes  replied,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  have  him  now  say 
what  he  stated  to  me  in  regard  to  it. 

Mr.  Barnes:  You  need  have  no  fear  about  the  electric  locomotive  —  it  will  do 
your  work  :  but  the  stations  being  so  close  together,  there  is  no  reason  why  a 
steam  motor  could  not  be  built  which  would  do  the  work.  If  the  stations  were 
ten  miles  apart,  it  would  be  doubtful  if  we  could  do  it.  A  smokeless  locomotive, 
running  between  stations  three  or  four  miles,  can  readily  be  supplied. 

Col.  Hazard:  Within  the  dimension  of  9^  feet  in  height,  running  say  a 
mile  from  station  to  station,  you  could  design  a  perfectly  competent  engine  to 
haul  these  heavy  trains  at  speed  5 

Mr.  Barnes:  It  is  a  question  of  length;  the  height  and  width  of  the  tunnel 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

Mr.  Parsons :  You  would  charge  the  engine  with  a  pressure  of  250  pounds  ? 

Mr.  Barnes :  With  more ;  they  would  have  low  and  high  pressure  engines 
and  high-pressure  boilers,  for  economy  in  space. 

Mr.  Adams:  After  seeing  the  admirable  designs  that  you  have  shown  me. 
I  cannot  see  anything  that  you  have  got  to  do  to  better  yourself  on  Broadway. 
The  only  question  is  that  of  the  ventilation  of  the  sewer  pipe.  There  is  a  method 
of  doing  that  which  I  approve.  If  a  connection  is  made  from  the  top  and  the 
sewer  allowed  to  breathe  through  the  houses  to  the  roofs,  you  would  not  want 
anything  else.  The  present  system  is  to  carry  in  the  house-pipe  at  the  top  of 
the  sewer,  and  when  the  sewer  is  running  three-quarters  full,  the  upper  part  is 
filled  with  gas,  and  must  escape  somewhere. 

Col.  Hazard:  We  can  take  it  to  the  surface  of  the  street  very  easily. 
We  are  confined  to  44  feet  between  the  curbs  for  our  railway  and  galleries,  but 
at  every  intersecting  street  there  is  18  feet  corresponding  to  the  sidewalk 
and  area,  and  in  the  roadway  of  the  cross  streets  we  can,  therefore,  get  a  room 
or  vault  23  feet  by  30  or  more,  for  dealing  with  the  sewers,  expansion  joints  of 
steam,  etc.,  and  to  place  the  openings  for  surface  water  substantially  where  they 
now  are.    The  sewer  ventilation  should  be  there.    This  vent  would  be  100  feet 

from  the  most  distant  house  connection,  usually. 

29 


Mr.  Adams :  That  might  do.  It  is  very  improperly  and  imperfectly  done 
now.  It  is  done  with  man-holes  to  a  certain  degree;  but  to  do  it  thoroughly  it 
must  be  drawn  off.  If  a  pipe  be  connected  with  the  top  of  the  sewer,  and  carried 
up  through  the  house,  you  could  carry  it  off  without  an)-  trouble  at  all,  and  you 
would  not  want  anything  else.  I  have  done  so  in  my  own  house  for  20  years. 
When  we  have  laid  down  the  scientific  street,  all  these  details  must  be  perfected. 
What  people  submit  to  now  they  would  not  stand  then. 

Prof.  Chandler :  A  perforation  on  the  side  of  the  curb-stones,  connected 
with  the  top  of  the  sewer  by  a  ventilating-pipe  as  often  as  required,  would 
answer. 

Mr.  Adams:  They  have  tried  ventilation  by  means  of  the  lamp-posts, 
but  the  flow  is  not  sufficient  to  relieve  the  pipe.  We  get  on  very  well  now 
by  letting  it  out  in  man-holes.  They  are  doing  that  in  Brooklyn  to  allow 
it  to  go  into  the  street.  Dilution  is  ventilation.  Diluted  with  the  air,  it  is 
innocuous  when  it  comes  out  into  the  street.     But  will  you  have  that  facility  ? 

Col.  Hazard :  We  should  prefer  to  ventilate  at  the  inlet  for  surface  water 
at  the  curb,  but  we  can  take  it  into  the  middle  of  the  street.  One  of  the  great 
advantages  of  our  system  is  that  we  provide  a  perfect  street  surface  that  need 
never  be  disturbed. 

Mr.  Adams :  A  perforated  cast-iron  ventilator  in  the  roadway  could  scarcely 
be  objected  to,  because  it  involves  no  disturbance  of  the  paving  in  removal 
for  inspection,  etc.,  but -if  we  could  only  do  the  thing  quite  right  and  let  the  sewer 
gas  breathe  through  the  houses  it  would  be  perfect.  I  have  carried  this  idea  out 
to  my  satisfaction.     Bailey  is  the  authority  for  the  system. 

Prof.  Chandler :  But  it  subverts  the  primary  principle  of  modern  house 
plumbing,  which  is  to  have  a  current  of  fresh  air  go  in  at  the  drain  and  flush 
out  the  pipe  several  times  a  minute.  Bailey's  idea  was  not  to  admit  fresh  air, 
but  to  have  every  private  citizen  set  up  his  soil-pipe  to  ventilate  the  public 
sewer.  I  would  not  think  it  safe  or  desirable  to  place  my  house  at  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  public  to  ventilate  the  sewer. 

Prof.  Trowbridge :  I  understand  that  by  the  Bailey  proposition  you  make 
the  ventilation-pipe  perfectly  tight  from  the  sewer  to  the  top  of  the  house,  and 
ventilate  at  that  point.    It  is  a  chimney  ? 

Mr.  Adams:  Yes,  it  is  merely  a  chimney.  If  it  is  perfect  the  sewer  gas 
goes  to  the  outside  of  the  roof.  There  is  no  question  in  my  mind  about  the 
principle  of  the  plan  ;  the  practice  may  be  found  impracticable. 

Col.  Hazard:  The  generation  of  these  sewer  gases  results  in  pressure, 
both  on  the  contents  of  the  sewer  and  the  walls.     Therefore,  suppose  at  every 

30 


one  hundred  feet  there  were  sufficient  ventilators,  why  would  not  that  pressure 
be  completely  relieved  by  the  gas  forcing  itself  out  at  the  ventilators. 

Prof.  Trowbridge:  Every  one  hundred  feet  will  certainly  answer.  Even 
two  hundred  feet  would  do  so  satisfactorily. 

Mr.  Adams:  It  would  with  dimension  enough.  You  will  have  no  trouble 
whatever  with  the  sewerage  question. 

Prof.  Chandler:  A  cubic  foot  of  sewerage  produces  under  ordinary  condi- 
tions a  cubic  foot  of  gas  in  twenty- four  hours.  The  provision  made  in  these 
plans  is  unquestionably  adequate. 

Prof  Trowbridge  :  At  the  last  meeting  of  the  engineers  Mr.  Knight  told 
us  that  a  horse-power  of  draft  for  an  electric  train  could  be  produced  for  four 
pounds  of  coal  per  hour.  That,  of  course,  places  the  question  of  economy  in  a 
very  favorable  light.  I  would  like  to  ask  whether  anything  has  occurred  to 
change  the  best  opinion  on  that  subject. 

Professor  Morion  :  It  has  been  brought  down  to  six  pounds  of  coal  on  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad,  on  steam  locomotives  pulling  large  trains. 

Colonel  Goddard :  That  is  by  no  means  the  average,  however.  There  is  a 
great  variation  in  the  engines  and  the  engineers.  It  is  made  one  of  the  tests  of 
c  xcellence  in  that  department  of  the  road.  Some  of  the  roads  grade  their  em- 
ployees by  that,  and  pay  for  saving  per  pound. 

Mr.  Boiler :  The  Pennsylvania  give  a  premium  for  the  greatest  economy, 
which  is  doubtless  represented  by  the  case  stated.  I  would  like  to  see  a  work- 
ing electric  railroad  in  operation,  with  a  record  as  to  the  cost  of  maintenance 
and  operation,  etc.  I  suppose  you  are  preparing  data  of  the  experience  on 
these  facts  for  those  of  us  who  have  still  to  be  convinced  of  the  comparative 
economy  and  efficiency  of  the  electric  system  of  propulsion. 

Professor  Morton  :  I  must  say  that  I  foresee  no  difficulty  beyond  what 
would  be  met  by  ordinary  mechanical  skill  in  the  construction  of  the  apparatus  ; 
in  other  words,  there  have  been  so  many  electrical  roads  run  with  so  many 
varieties  of  motors,  and  some  of  them  have  been  so  large  and  the  weight  car- 
ried so  great,  that  it  is  not  a  very  great  jump  to  pass  from  the  largest  train  and 
the  most  powerful  electric  motor  heretofore  used  to  such  trains  and  such  electric 
motors  as  you  propose  to  use  on  this  road. 

Mr.  Barnes:  The  records  are  carefully  kept.  The  only  thing  which  gave 
any  trouble  was  the  brushes,  and  we  have  succeeded  in  eliminating  that  by  hav- 
ing a  motor  with  a  constant  lead. 

Professor  Trowbridge:  Is  there  any  inconvenience  from  noise  from  the 
motor  now  in  use  at  Woonsocket  ? 

31 


Mr.  Barnes:  There  is  absolutely  no  complaint  from  noise;  it  does  not 
make  half  the  noise  of  an  ordinary  horse-car.  The  line  is  four  miles  long. 
One  motor  car  draws  several  others,  constituting  an  actual  electric  railway  train. 
It  consumes  a  ton  of  coal  in  16  hours'  running,  125  pounds  per  hour. 

Prof.  Troivbridge  :  There  is  uncertainty  in  the  public  mind  about  the  sta- 
tus of  the  "District"  as  compared  with  the  "Arcade"  Road,  whether  they  are 
both  to  take  the  same  route,  and  how  far  one  interferes  with  the  other.  In 
speaking  of  the  District  Railway  people  do  not  fully  understand  its  great  advan- 
tages. 

Col.  Hazard :  The  managers  of  the  Arcade  scheme  raised  about  $250,000 
from  some  very  respectable  people,  and  went  to  Albany  in  1885  and  spent  a 
large  amount  of  it.  This  was  done,  I  suppose,  to  try  to  supplant  the  District 
Road  which  had  then  been  organized.  It  has  been  and  is,  in  my  opinion, 
simply  a  concern  to  raise  money  to  spend  in  legislation  and  "  current  ex- 
penses." After  they  raised  this  money,  and  got  their  bill  passed  and  signed 
by  Governor  Hill,  the  citizens  became  really  alarmed,  and  commenced  a  suit, 
in  which  Mr.  John  Jacob  Astor  and  nearly  all  the  large  estates  on  Broadway, 
over  one  hundred  in  all,  were  and  are  plaintiffs.  The  suit  is  to  set  aside  the 
charter  of  the  Arcade  on  the  ground  that  the  corporation  died  and  the  charter 
lapsed  many  years  ago.  Subsequently  another  suit  was  commenced  by 
Bailey  for  some  other  property-holders,  the  ground  being  that  the  Company 
had  acquired  absolutely  no  right  to  lay  railroad  tracks  prior  to  1875,  smce 
which  date  the  Legislature  has  been  incompetent  to  grant  such  right.  I,  my- 
self, fully  believe  that  the  Act  of  1886  is  unconstitutional,  and  that  the  Court  of 
Appeals  will  so  declare  ;  but  there  is  one  thing  certain,  no  matter  what  the 
"Arcade"  is  or  is  not,  if  we  commence  to  build  our  road,  if  we  proceed  forth- 
with to  get  the  necessary  consents  on  Broadway  for  the  "  District,"  or  if  we 
commence  the  "Underground"  road  for  which  we  require  no  consents,  and  show 
a  determination  to  proceed  to  completion  with  our  work,  there  is  nothing  in  our 
way.  Our  policy  is  to  perfect  our  plans  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  commence 
w  ork  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  when  we  once  strike  a  spade  into  the  ground, 
under  a  full  contract  for  construction,  that  is  the  end  of  all  anxiety.  Resistance 
there  will  be,  of  course,  from  adverse  interests,  and  from  the  ignorant,  the  prej- 
udiced, or  the  unreasoning,  but  it  will  avail  nothing.  There  is  one  point  on  the 
Underground  Road  which  ought  to  be  straightened,  that  is  the  elbow  at  Mul- 
berry Street ;  we  asked  the  late  Rapid  Transit  Commission  to  straighten  it  for 
us,  but  it  refused.  The  Rapid  Transit  Commission  thought  that  no  road  ought 
to  be  built  but  a  viaduct.    A  viaduct  road  will  destroy  more  valuable  property 

32 


in  the  city  of  New- York  than  the  Boston  or  the  Chicago  fires  destroyed  in  those 
cities,  and  destroy  it  more  completely.  It  would  ruin  the  other  property  through 
which  it  runs  because  of  the  terrific  noise  of  the  trains  and  the  vibration.  No 
matter  how  well  constructed,  the  noise  consequent  upon  the  passage  of  rapid 
trains  across  viaducts,  past  lofty  walls,  open  side-streets,  and  the  vacant  centres 
of  blocks  could  not  be  avoided.  To  be  of  any  value  the  line  must  be  central,  and 
it  would  instantly  reduce  miles  of  the  best  business  and  residential  property  to 
second  and  third  class.  Everybody  who  has  lived  in  London  knows  exactly 
what  that  is,  though  in  no  case  do  the  lines  penetrate  the  best  quarters,  or  cut 
through  residential  blocks. 

Professor  Chandler :  In  this  city  every  square  foot  of  surface  is  valuable  for 
residential  or  business  uses.  To  consume  it  for  a  viaduct  road  would  be  unwar- 
rantable waste,  to  destroy  existing  structural  values  in  addition  would  be  unpar- 
donable extravagance.  Hence  I  agree  that  a  viaduct  road  ought  not  to  be 
built.  Beneath  the  surface  of  the  street  the  unused  space  is  valueless,  and  that 
is  the  place  for  precisely  this  structure  and  equipment. 

Mr.  Parsons:  In  a  subway  railway  and  there  only,  in  equable  temperature 
summer  and  winter,  protected  alike  from  heat  and  cold  and  storms,  can  great 
speed  be  attained,  and  there  alone  can  perfect  ventilation  be  secured,  because 
there  all  the  conditions  are  under  complete  control. 

Colonel  Goddard :  The  cars  of  this  company,  being  of  standard  gauge,  may 
run  over  the  New  Haven,  Harlem,  N.  Y.  City  and  Northern,  Hudson  River,  or 
any  future  bridge  or  tunnel  lines  where  desirable  to  make  connections  at 
stations,  junctions,  etc. 

Mr.  Barnes :  Assuredly  ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  improved  truck 
will  be  adopted  to  replace  the  present  system  for  all  first-class  express  trains. 

The  advantages  of  the  low  unbreakable  car  are  many  and  important. 
The  dimensions  are  the  same  as  the  Pullman ;  the  wheels  42  inches  in 
diameter ;  the  train  length  the  same  as  the  Pullman  ;  the  weight  loaded 
the  same  or  less  than  the  Pullman,  according  to  finish ;  the  lavatories  and 
smoking-rooms  would  have  the  same  general  arrangements ;  the  closets  and 
porters'  quarters  would  be  larger  and  more  commodious  for  the  same  length 
of  car  than  the  Pullman.  Owing  to  the  absence  of  platforms,  that  space  is 
available  for  these  purposes. 

The  floor  of  the  car  being  but  one  foot  above  the  rails,  and  the  entrances  and 
exits  being  four  in  number,  two  upon  either  side,  one  at  either  end,  the  passen- 
gers step  directly  from  the  platforms  or  ground  at  the  stations  into  the  car,  and 
distribute  themselves  at  will  throughout  its  length. 

33 


The  passage  between  cars  is  raised  slightly  above  the  floors.  There  are 
two  low  broad  steps,  to  the  level  of  a  wide  passage  from  car  to  car,  between  the 
lavatories,  toilet  apartments,  and  smoking-rooms. 

The  car-frames  throughout  are  made  of  mild  steel  of  60,000  lbs.  tensile 
strength  per  square  inch,  and  riveted  with  steel  rivets.  The  bodies  of  all  stays 
and  tension-pieces  are  reduced  to  have  the  same  tensile  strength  at  the  joints. 

The  sides,  floor,  ends,  and  top  are  covered  with  "ferflax,"  two  thicknesses 
on  bottom  and  sides,  one  on  top,  fastened  continuously  along  the  edges. 

"Ferflax  "  is  a  permanent  tough  flexible  compound  building  material,  not 
unlike  horn  in  character,  composed  essentially  of  steel  netting  of  any  strength, 
flax  fibre,  and  oxidized  oil. 

Its  strength  is  the  same  as  steel  wire  netting. 

Its  flexibility  approximately  that  of  soft  steel  wire. 

Its  toughness  approximates  horn.  It  is  non-fragile  and  unbreakable  by 
bending.    Not  liable  in  the  least  degree  to  shatter  under  shocks. 

The  advantages  of  this  style  and  form  of  car  and  truck  are  its  indestructi- 
bility. 

The  material  is  such  that  when  receiving  the  force  of  the  most  severe 
collisions,  side-thrusts,  falling  blows,  and  thumping  when  off  the  rails,  they  can- 
not shatter  and  the  passengers  become  transfixed  with  splinters  or  injured  by 
the  fragile  nature  of  the  material,  as  is  the  case  with  the  wooden  car  now  in  use. 
Such  structures,  being  incombustible  and  non-fragile,  can  in  the  most  severe  and 
heavy  collisions  and  overturning  accidents  but  bend  and  twist  out  of  shape. 
No  flying  parts  and  pieces  can  endanger  in  a  secondary  manner  lives  that  need 
not  be  sacrificed  from  the  primary  character  of  the  accident.  The  action  of 
ferflax  under  such  stresses  is  similar  to  that  of  stiff  leather. 

The  actual  stability  of  a  car  (the  conditions  of  rails,  tracks,  and  speed  remain- 
ing the  same)  depends  upon  the  Jieight  of  the  centre  of  gravity  above  the  rails  or 
the  turning-point. 

The  centre  of  gravity  in  this  form  of  car  is  much  lower  than  in  the  modern 
Pullman,  being  in  the  ratio  of  four  to  seven.  The  actual  stability  is  therefore 
vastly  increased  ;  much  more,  in  fact,  than  these  figures  signify. 

Two  motions  of  railway  carriages  cause  passengers  a  feeling  of  apparent 
insecurity  and  unstability, —  the  rolling  and  swaying  motions. 

The  rolling  motion  depends  upon  the  positions  of  the  centre  of  gravity  and 
point  of  support.  When  the  centre  of  gravity  is  above  the  point  of  support 
there  is  a  tendency  to  roll  outward  upon  curves,  and  toward  the  lower  rail  upon 
tangents,  causing  a  feeling  of  tipping  over.     If  the  centre  of  gravity  is  at  the 

34 


point  of  support  then  the  rolling  motion  upon  such  curves  and  such  places  ceases, 
and  a  lateral  displacement  takes  place  at  the  "swing  links,"  and  no  tipping 
motion  is  felt.  If  the  centre  of  gravity  is  below  the  point  of  support,  the  tip- 
ping gives  rather  an  increased  feeling  of  security,  owing  to  the  direction  of  the 
movement. 

The  swaying  motion  is  caused  by  a  combined  rolling  motion  and  indepen- 
dent action  of  the  cars.  The  large  decrease  in  rolling  motion,  as  well  as  the 
addition  of  the  "compression  buffers"  at  the  corners  of  the  car,  making  the 
train  practically  a  unit,  removes  this  dangerous  and  objectionable  motion,  and 
allows  the  passengers  to  walk  with  security. 

Unsteadiness  depends  upon  the  rolling  and  swaying  motions,  and  the  sud- 
den lateral  displacement  of  the  bodies  of  the  cars.  The  first  causes  depend 
almost  wholly  upon  the  continuous  character  of  the  train  and  the  individual 
cars  and  trucks,  the  last  upon  the  conditions  of  the  rails  as  well.  The  reduction 
of  the  two  motions  and  the  unit  character  of  the  train  will  cause  this  train  to 
move  with  great  steadiness,  and  allow  passengers  to  walk  about,  or  to  proceed 
from  car  to  car,  without  being  thrown  against  the  seats. 

The  roofs  of  the  cars  being  much  lower  than  the  present  types,  the  cinders 
pass  directly  over  the  top  with  the  smoke  and  gases  from  the  locomotive  stack. 
A  train  made  up  of  these  cars,  and  a  locomotive  fitted  with  the  modern  appli- 
ances, ought  to  be  practically  free  from  cinders,  even  when  soft  coal  is  used  as  fuel. 

The  inclosed  nature  of  the  trucks  and  the  proximity  of  the  car  to  the  rail 
keep  the  dust  under  the  train.  The  whirling  of  the  wheels  cannot  roll  up  the 
dust,  as  with  the  present  type. 

The  ventilation  and  heating  the  whole  train  as  one  long  room,  allows  more 
perfect  heating  and  ventilation  in  many  respects. 

The  passage  of  passengers,  conductors,  and  trainmen  from  one  car  to 
another  does  not  in  each  case  necessitate  a  rush  of  air  into  the  different  cars,  as 
the  doors  need  never  be  closed  between  them. 

The  disagreeable  sounds  incidental  to  the  ordinary  trucks  are  to  a  great 
extent  overcome  in  these,  owing  to  the  design  and  inclosed  position. 

The  side  area,  the  end  area,  and  the  uneven ness  of  the  surface  of  the  cars 
being  less,  the  air  resistance  will  not  be  as  great. 

The  reduced  number  of  wheels  per  train  will,  of  necessity,  reduce  the  roll- 
ing friction. 

The  reduced  number  of  axles  will  materially  reduce  the  sliding  friction,  as 
it  does  not  depend  so  directly  upon  the  weight  as  it  does  upon  the  number  of 
axles. 

35 


The  perpendicular  distance  (steps  up)  through  which  each  passenger,  upon 
an  average,  has  to  be  raised  to  travel  within  the  cars,  is  about  eight  per  cent, 
of  the  modern  Pullman,  while  the  cost  is  about  ten  per  cent,  less,  assuming  the 
same  inside  finish. 

Colonel  Hazard :  Although  the  necessity  for  diminishing  the  excavation 
of  the  Underground  Railway  from  motives  of  convenience  and  economy,  and  to 
keep  above  tide-water  and  escape  rock-excavation,  originally  led  to  the  inven- 
tion of  this  form  of  car  and  truck ;  yet,  upon  working  the  problem  out  in  detail, 
we  find  that  it  possesses  immense  advantages  over  the  existing  type  for  the  first- 
class  passenger  traffic  of  all  railways,  and  that,  instead  of  wasting  millions  in 
making  deep  and  dangerous  excavations  under  the  street  to  admit  "  standard 
cars,"  we  have  established  a  new  standard,  and  shown  that  the  horrors  of  Chats- 
worth,  and  kindred  slaughters,  are  preventable.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
no  serious  accident  can  happen  to  a  passenger  traveling  in  this  car  within  the 
structure  of  the  Underground  or  District  roads. 

Mr.  Schneider :  I  have  prepared  some  designs  for  portions  of  the  steel 
work,  which  I  think  present  advantages  over  the  forms  generally  used.  Blue- 
prints will  be  sent  to  members  of  the  board,  so  that  the  subject  of  metallic  struc- 
ture may  be  finally  considered  at  the  next  meeting. 

Professor  Trowbridge :  We  may  congratulate  ourselves  upon  the  legal  and 
financial  status  of  the  companies,  and  upon  the  original  and  successful  treatment 
of  the  engineering  and  mechanical  problems  presented  by  the  undertaking.  The 
preparation  is  adequate  and  complete.  We  are  now  ready  for  practical  demon- 
stration. 


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